Congratulations to councillors elected in May, and a special welcome to those of you elected for the first time.
Serving your community as a councillor is a hugely important and rewarding way of serving the public – so good luck to you all!
I am delighted that the Labour Party had such a great set of results: gaining more than 500 council seats and winning control in many new councils.
Our new council leaders got straight to work, meeting with Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer, senior shadow cabinet members and myself to discuss the delivery of emergency cost-of-living plans in their councils, and quickly demonstrating the difference Labour councillors can make when in power.
“Councils touch the lives of everyone in the country every single day”
The result also means that Labour is now the largest party in local government, and so, for the first time since 2014, the LGA will have a Labour councillor in the chair.
I am incredibly proud to have been nominated by my peers to take on this important role. Councils touch the lives of everyone in the country every single day, and it’s important that local government has a united voice at national level.
Our strength at the LGA lies in our diversity – representing urban to rural councils, large and small, and run by all political parties and none.
I’m looking forward to building on the foundations left by current LGA Chairman Cllr James Jamieson, and working with colleagues from across the political spectrum to provide a strong and distinctive voice for local government.